New Castle man pleads guilty to drug trafficking in area

NEW CASTLE, Pa. (WKBN) — A New Castle man pleaded guilty in federal court Tuesday to violating federal narcotics laws.

Dontae Blackshear, 25, pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute fentanyl and cocaine between May 2021 and October 2022. He was charged as part of a drug-trafficking crew operating in Mercer and Lawrence counties in the Western District of Pennsylvania.

As part of his plea agreement, Blackshear stipulated that he was responsible for conspiring to distribute 20 grams of fentanyl and 100 grams of cocaine.

He has a prior state court felony drug-trafficking conviction from 2021 involving fentanyl and heroin, for which he was sentenced to one to two years in prison and was on parole
when he committed the federal drug-trafficking crime, according to a release from the Department of Justice.

Blackshear is set to be sentenced Oct. 16. He faces a maximum total sentence of up to 30 years in prison, a fine of up to $2 million, or both.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com.